Baker Elementary School

JUNE 2017 NOTES

I would like to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU, two small words that truly mean so much.   Through your cooperation and support we have seen and accomplished many wonderful deeds!  As a parent and a teacher, I understand your joy and pride in watching the progression of your children. Happy, well-adjusted children come from caring homes.  As always, I couldn’t have done it without YOU!!

Reading

Comprehensive and Skills Reading Tests

Please encourage reading over the summer-READ! READ! READ!! Please register your child for the summer reading program at the U.S.C. library.  Hope to see you at our  STEAM TEAM Engineering Camp this summer!

USC schools also offer several great sciences, math, reading, craft, and computer camps over the summer; check out the school’s website. Don’t forget about Raz-Kids.com.  See notes below for more summer suggestions!!

Math

Topic 8 Memorization of division facts:

·       Division Facts Introduction

·       Relating Multiplication and Division

·       Fact Families with 2, 3, 4 & 5

·       Fact Families with 6 and 7

·       Fact Families with 8 and 9

·       Problem Solving: Multiple Step Problems

·       Making Sense of Multiplication & Division Equations

·       Dividing with 0 and 1

·       Multiplication and Division Facts

·       Problem Solving: Draw a Picture and Write a Number Sentence

XTRA Math

Please continue to practice multiplication/division facts over the summer.  If you would like, I will send home a summer review packet for Xtra Math. Fourth level teachers expect the students to have mastered addition, subtraction, and multiplication facts by the beginning of the year. Division facts are mastered in 4^th grade.

Spelling

Spelling BEE Review (100 words) from Units 1-32 on Monday, June 5^th.

Handwriting

Cursive will become easier the more the children practice it.

 Please reinforce cursive writing all summer; I will be sending a review packet home for summer practice.

Language Arts/USC Writing Curriculum

USC uses a personalized writing curriculum that supports Common Core writing standards. We are preparing students to master the writing process, key writing forms, grammar, usage, and mechanics.  The children will learn to write a clear topic sentence and develop details related to the topic.  Another skill we are working on is writing a well-constructed paragraph, starting with a topic sentence, at least 3 details and a closing sentence. We will then move into a 3-paragraph paper on one topic.  

We will also be learning to conduct a research project on a past president. 

(Presidential Wax Museum)

Science-Human Body and Engineering…. Designing a Knee Brace

The students will apply the engineering design process to the fields of biology or medicine to solve healthcare problems, and think like a biomedical engineer. The storybook Erik’s Unexpected Twist provides a framework for biomedical engineering in this unit with the exciting story of a rescue mission where engineering saves the day for a boy with an injured knee. Students explore the variations in human feet and use the information to make recommendations about sneaker design. They also measure the range of motion in knees as they investigate how a knee joint works. After evaluating the properties of different building materials, they design a knee brace that will restore the range of motion to a model of an injured knee.

Social Studies

3^rd grade memory slide show

Special Events

Happy BIRTHDAY!

May 31^st:      1:30 Dress Rehearsal for the Pittsburgh Play

June 1st:      9:30 PITTSBURGH PLAY parent show @ 9:30 AM “Look out Broadway”

June 2^{nd :}      Field Events Day

June 5^th:          Spelling Bee

June 9^th:       Last Day of school

June 20^th      Kennywood Day-Mrs. Dillies’ class and alumni usually meet at the RACER at 5:00 to race Boys vs. Girls!!  I have to be at a school conference in Harrisburg on Kenny wood day this year….but feel free to meet and ride anyhow.

COMING SOON: TOP TEN REASONS TO LOVE THIRD GRADE: By: Room 8

Notes:

A few suggestions for nice summertime activities:

****Check out links on our classroom website on the USC school district web page.  Click on Baker School and pull down Classroom Pages. Click on Mrs. Dillie.  Check out the Raz-Kids website that we can access over the summer. www.raz-kids.com

Contact me for your child’s password and reading level. During the school year, students are taught at their instructional reading level.  An instructional reading level indicates the level at which a student can read accurately, fluently and with understanding when instructional support is provided.  The Upper St. Clair School District uses Guided Reading Levels (A-Z) to designate a students’ instructional reading level.  These levels also are correlated to grade levels.

****Another idea is to have your child complete a summer journal. (I will be sending one home).  Have them write one/two pages daily about their vacation events.  I would love to read it in the fall or their 4^th level teacher would also enjoy it.

 ****In addition, I would love to hear from the children over the summer….

                                    E-MAIL-pamdillie@gmail.com

***Also, the USC Library has a terrific summer reading program.

****I will also be sending home a summer activity packet to review 3^rd grade skills and get a “jump-start” on 4th grade!

****I will also be in contact for a little summer get together at Baker Park…just playtime, popsicles, cookies, lemonade and visiting old friends.  More details later-probably in July.

Thanks for all your help and co-operation this year!!!!

One last time…as always, we couldn’t have done it without you.

Pam Dillie 

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER, SEE YOU IN THE FALL!!!